Here you can find impact studies commissioned by UTZ, as well as a selection of other studies that look at the UTZ program. Download full reports, read UTZ’ responses to the studies or get a quick overview of the reports’ highlights on our 2 pagers.

2018 Evaluation of UTZ certification focused on coffee businesses in Guatemala Honduras and Nicaragua

Coffee

Honduras and Nicaragua

2018
This independent evaluation by the World Agroforestry Centre – ICRAF looked into the added value of UTZ coffee certification for three types of certificate holders in Central America: trader-led groups of smallholder farmers, cooperatives and individual coffee plantations. The report analyses the choices and constraints that these types of certificate holders face when joining, remaining or in some case leaving the UTZ certification program. Understanding these factors is an important element to understand the factors driving the sustainability improvements at the level of the individual coffee farms. The findings show a.o. that multi-certification makes business sense as it increases the options to market certified coffee with a premium, but that low market uptake of certified coffee and the market volatility remains a concern for most certificate holders. The study also points out that – in spite of persistent market challenges – certification provides a trusted framework for making systematic improvements in the production, processing and marketing of coffee.
Researchers: World Agroforestry Centre
Full report UTZ’ response  

2018 evaluation of the UTZ Standard Hazelnut Program in Turkey

Hazelnut

Turkey

2018
Commissioned by the Rainforest Alliance to Development Workshop, a Turkish consultancy and research NGO, this independent evaluation builds on a baseline and gap analysis done in 2014 by Development Workshop, at the time when the UTZ Hazelnut program had just been launched. The report aims to 1. Understand  the way the UTZ Hazelnut program is being implemented; 2. Find the changes it brings about on hazelnut farms and certified groups, and 3. Make recommendations as to the program can be improved.
Researchers: Development Workshop
Full report UTZ’ response  

Towards Sustainable Cocoa in Côte d’Ivoire

Cocoa

Côte d’Ivoire

2013 – 2017
This independent impact evaluation commissioned by UTZ, IDH and Nestlé to Wageningen Economic Research analyzed the main outcomes of certification in combination with different service packages for a representative sample of UTZ certified cocoa farmers in Côte d’Ivoire between 2013 and 2017.
Researchers: Wageningen Economic Research
Full report UTZ’ response  

Identification of Suitable Tea Growing Areas in Malawi under Climate Change Scenarios

Tea

Malawi

2017
During this research the impact maps were created that model the degree to which tea production in Malawi will be affected by climate change in the future. The analysis focused on the three tea growing regions of Malawi: Nkhata Bay, Mulanje and Thyolo.
Researchers: CIAT (International Center for Tropical Agriculture),
Full report UTZ’ response  

Systematic review on agricultural certification schemes

Various commodities and countries

2017
This systematic review looked at the socio-economic outcomes of certification standards such as price, income, yields and wages. It covers several certification programs (including UTZ, Fairtrade, the Rainforest Alliance, Organic, RSPO, and more) and several products (coffee, tea cocoa, nuts, fruits, and more). The researchers assessed a wide range of qualitative and quantitative studies.

Note: this systematic review was not commissioned by UTZ, but by other parties. Given its importance UTZ has issued a response.
Researchers: Campbell Collaboration
Full report UTZ’ response  

 

Evaluation report on the UTZ tea program Sri Lanka

Tea

Sri Lanka

2016
This study evaluated the social, economic and environmental outcomes of the UTZ tea program in Sri Lanka. The researchers took a qualitative approach, combining different research methods. They assessed the UTZ program within the local context, from the perspective of different stakeholders, and also looked for unexpected changes.
Researchers: Fair & Sustainable Advisory Services (the Netherlands) and Nucleus Foundation (Sri Lanka),
Full report UTZ’ response Highlights

 

Evaluation of UTZ in the Indonesian cocoa sector

Cocoa

Indonesia

2016
This independent evaluation carried out by AidEnvironment used qualitative and quantitative methods to assess the UTZ program in Indonesia after two years. Research was carried out in two regions: Sulawesi and Sumatra.
Researcher: Aidenvironment
Full report UTZ’ response Highlights

 

Impact of UTZ certification on cocoa producers in Ghana 2011 – 2014

Cocoa

Ghana

2016
This particular impact evaluation analyses the changes in economic performance, working conditions and living conditions of Ghanaian cocoa farmers enrolled in 6 cocoa sustainability projects over a four year period (2011–2014).
Researcher: LEI Wageningen UR
Full report UTZ’ response Highlights

 

Effects of UTZ certification according to coffee farmers in Brazil

Coffee

 Brazil

 2015
 The independent study took place during the months of April to November 2014 in the Minas Gerais and São Paulo States. It includes the views of 89 certificate holders and 17 key stakeholders.
 Researcher: BSD Consulting and Ibi Eté Consultoria
 Full report EN PT  UTZ’ response Highlights

 

Case Study: UTZ Certified Rooibos Farms in South Africa

Rooibos

South Africa

2014
The researchers carried out interviews with all UTZ Certified Rooibos farms and processors providing an interesting insight into their perceptions of the UTZ Certified program.
Researchers: Sandra Kruger & associates
Full report UTZ’ response Highlights

 

Impact Evaluation of UTZ Certified Coffee Program in Colombia

Coffee

Colombia

2014
The research was carried out by the Centre for Regional Entrepreneurial and Coffee Studies (CRECE), a non-profit organization based in Colombia, with 28 years experience in socio-economic research and consulting. The data used for this impact evaluation was drawn from data collected between 2008 and 2011 as part of a broader study that was conducted by CRECE in collaboration with Committee on Sustainable Assessment (COSA).
Researcher: Centre for Regional Entrepreneurial and Coffee Studies (CRECE)
Full report ENES UTZ’ response Highlights

 

Living Wage for Kenya

Living Wage

Kenya

2014
The study estimates living wage in comparison to wages paid in the flower sector in semi-urban Naivasha. The benchmark will also be adapted to set a living wage level for rural Kenya. The report has been co-funded with Fairtrade and Sustainable Agriculture Network/Rainforest Alliance (SAN/RA). Fairtrade, UTZ and SAN/RA collaborate on the living wage topic together with other members of the ISEAL Alliance of standard setting organisations, GoodWeave and Forest Stewardship Council, and with Social Accountability International. The Kenya report is the fourth in a series of reports benchmarking living wages, the first three were released earlier in 2014.
Researcher: Living wage experts Richard and Martha Anker.
Full report Summary  

 

Impact of UTZ Certification of cocoa in Côte d’Ivoire: Assessment framework and baseline

Cocoa

Côte d’Ivoire

2014
This study is a baseline assessment of cocoa farmers in Côte d’Ivoire conducted by LEI Wageningen UR. The evaluation focuses on the implementation of the UTZ Code of Conduct between 2008 and 2012, the added value of the UTZ program for farmers and the inclusiveness of the program.
Researcher: LEI Wageningen UR
Full report UTZ’ response Highlights

 

Living Wage reports

Living Wage

South Africa, Dominican Republic and Malawi

2014
Three reports published in June 2014 set new living wage benchmarks for rural South Africa, Dominican Republic and Malawi. The reports document worker needs in detail, in a simple, transparent way that everyone can understand. The reports explain exactly what workers would be able to afford for themselves and their families if they were paid the estimated living wage. They also compare living wage estimates with current wages and include innovative ways to estimate fair and reasonable values for in-kind benefits.
Dominican Republic Malawi South Africa

 

Cocoa Farms in Ghana. An Evaluation of the Impact of UTZ Certification on the Sustainability of Smallholders supported by the Solidaridad Cocoa Programme 2010-2012, COSA

Cocoa

Ghana

2013
This independent impact evaluation was commissioned to gain insight into the effectiveness of the training and certification program of UTZ and Solidaridad in Ghana. The evaluation aimed to assess to what extent the economic, social and environmental conditions of cocoa farmers included in the program were improved. The farmers surveyed in 2010 and 2012 belong to AHANSUCOFA, a producer organization assisted by Solidaridad. The research design intended to capture and track differences between certified and non-certified farmers over time. A sample of non-certified farmers was surveyed as well. An additional round of data collections was conducted in 2013 to validate earlier findings. A validation workshop with local stakeholders was held in 2013.
Researcher: The Committee on Sustainability Assessment (COSA)
Full report UTZ’ reponse  

 

A Touch of Cocoa, Baseline study of six UTZ-Solidaridad cocoa projects in Ghana in 2012 (Wageningen – LEI)

Cocoa

Ghana

2013
This study presents the baseline situation (2012) of cocoa farmers in Ghana assisted by UTZ, Solidaridad and local partners to achieve UTZ certification. The baseline has sampled farmers from 6 different projects in three regions. The research was commissioned by Solidaridad and UTZ Certified to create an impartial benchmark for future impact evaluations. UTZ expects that the findings of this baseline study, that have been shared with partners co-implementing these projects, are also useful to improve the effectiveness of these projects in achieving their objectives.
Researcher: LEI Wageningen UR
  Full report  

 

From training to practice – midterm evaluation of UTZ-Solidaridad smallholder tea program in Malawi

Tea

Malawi

2013
UTZ and Solidaridad, with the support of DE Foundation and IDH (the Sustainable Trade Initiative), have commissioned this independent mid-term evaluation of the tea program in Malawi to gather insights in its effectiveness, appropriateness and relevance. The program targeted 9,700 smallholder tea farmers affiliated to three smallholder producer associations, supplying to three tea estates. The outcome of the research was highly influenced by external factors including the slow market uptake for UTZ certified tea. Although further funding was not granted for this particular project the UTZ tea program in Malawi continues.
     
Full report UTZ’ response  

 

From training to practice – midterm evaluation of UTZ-Solidaridad smallholder tea program in Kenya

Tea

Kenya

2013
This mid-term impact evaluation, commissioned by UTZ and Solidaridad, gives insights in the positive benefits training and certification brought to small-scale tea farmers in Kenya. The program targeted 33,000 small-scale tea farmers, members of five KTDA (Kenyan Tea Development Authority) factories. The achievements were the fruit of a joint endeavor of UTZ, Solidaridad and the five KTDA factories involved in the design and implementation of the training program leading to UTZ certification. The outcome of the research was highly influenced by external factors including the slow market uptake for UTZ certified tea and the fact that half way the research period no further funding of the support program was granted.
 
Full report UTZ’ response  

 

Moving the bars: Sustainability brought to the forefront in the cocoa chain

Cocoa

Côte d’Ivoire & Ghana

2013
KPMG evaluated the Cocoa Improvement Program in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana from 2008 til 2012, implemented by UTZ, the Sustainable Trade Initiative IDH and Solidaridad. The study looks at the effectiveness of the program through qualitative assessment of the whole supply chain. The outcomes show how the CIP has the capacity of handling large volumes, really mainstreaming the production of sustainable cocoa. Some improvements of monitoring farmer benefits and volumes certified were recommended.
Researcher: KPMG
Full report UTZ’ response  

 

Vietnam coffee: A COSA survey of UTZ certified farms

Coffee

Vietnam

2012
In 2010, initial field visits were carried out to 351 coffee farms. A validation workshop with local stakeholders after initial data collection revealed that an additional round of data collection (November 2012) was needed. The training program has led to increased awareness, improved record keeping and better informed decision making. The program contributed reducing the use of (and spending on) agrochemical inputs, which contributes to a more sustainable production.
Researcher: The Committee on Sustainability Assessment (COSA)
Full report UTZ’ response  

 

Social, economic and environmental results of UTZ certification: case studies on UTZ certified coffee farms in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Coffee

Asia, Africa & Latin America

2010
This study carried out in 2009 features 10 cases studies of UTZ certified coffee farms in 6 countries, exploring the early results of certification. Its purpose is mainly to learn how producers experience certification in the short and medium term. It does not aim to demonstrate long term impacts. The case studies show that certification improves sustainable practices, cost efficiency and farm income, and that it is also appreciated for its contribution to professionalization of farm management.
  Full report  

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